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Sen. Ron Johnson votes against veterans bill citing cost

Gannett Washington Bureau;
Published 7:32 p.m. CT June 11, 2014

Sen. Ron Johnson was one of three senators to vote against the bill. The bill passed with the support of 93 senators Wednesday.
(Photo:
AP
)

WASHINGTON – Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson was one of only three senators who voted against a bill that would make it easier for veterans to receive government-subsidized medical care outside the Veterans Affairs medical system if the VA cannot provide timely service.

The bill passed with the support of 93 senators Wednesday. But Johnson said he couldn’t support it because of its cost -- $35 billion the first two years, and $50 billion per year after that, according to a preliminary estimate by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.

“This legislation doesn’t fix the systemic problems or ensure our veterans get quality, on-time health care. It does spend more money to expand a broken system,” he said. “Our veterans deserve better than this bill provides.”

The bill, sponsored by Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.,would allow veterans who live more than 40 miles from the nearest VA medical center or who cannot get an appointment quickly at their local VA facility to use a Veterans Choice Card to receive care from the Medicare provider of their choice.

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They also could go to Federal Qualified Health Centers, Indian Health Centers or medical centers funded by the Department of Defense.

The bill also grants the VA expedited authority to spend $500 million to hire more doctors and nurses to meet the growing demand for services. It also gives the Veterans Affairs secretary the power to immediately fire poor-performing employees.

“What our veterans deserve is to be able to get into the system in a timely manner and get quality care,” Sanders said. “What this legislation does is move us forward strongly in that direction.”

McCain said the bill empowers veterans with more flexibility to choose their health care while bringing more accountability to the scandal-plagued VA.

“This is an emergency,” McCain said in a speech on the Senate floor. “If it’s not an emergency that we have neglected the brave men and women who have served this country and protected our freedom, then I don’t know what is . . . It breaks Americans’ hearts.”

The Senate’s action comes after House passage of bills to make it easier for the VA secretary to fire poor-performing employees and to allow veterans to receive care from private medical centers.

A House-Senate conference committee must now work out a compromise bill to bring back to both chambers for a final vote.

Sanders said he is “absolutely confident” that lawmakers can bridge the differences between the Senate and House-passed bills and quickly send legislation to President Barack Obama for his signature. The administration announced its support for the legislation Wednesday.

Wisconsin Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin hailed the compromise legislation that she said honors veterans’ sacrifices and lives up to our shared responsibility to care for them after they serve.

“By putting politics aside and coming together today we have taken steps to keep that promise and make needed improvements to the delivery of veterans’ health care,” she said.

Johnson said he preferred another bill he had co-sponsored that would also have provided flexibility to veterans in need of medical care, but it also would have cut other spending to pay for it.

“But instead of taking the time to thoughtfully consider all the ramifications, Harry Reid rushed a different bill onto the floor of the Senate,” he said.

Johnson blasted the VA for not providing veterans, “the finest among us,” the high-quality health care they deserve.

“The VA has not been delivering on that promise because it is a bureaucratic, government-run health care system that is broken,” he said.

The Senate action came just two days after the Veterans Health Administration released the results of its nationwide audit of 731 VA hospitals and clinics. The audit found that 13 percent of VA schedulers reported being told by supervisors to falsify appointment schedules to make patient wait times appear shorter, the report said.

The audit flagged three Wisconsin facilities for further investigation of scheduling practices: the VA Medical Center in Madison and clinics in Kenosha and Janesville.